Around You
by fallen pheniox
Summary: Ash looses his best friend and also looses his hope and dreams when he does, but is it worth breaking a heart over? He must find himself again and learn that maybe, destiny is real...


Hey everyone! This just came suddenly, so I decided to write it down right away before I forget it. So it might be a bit confusing, but I'll try my best not to make it so. I do not own Pokemon. Anyways, please enjoy! Oh, and to those of you who are really, really sensitive, I'd suggest you get a tissue for the beginning. ^-^

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_"I don't believe in fairy tales anymore, and not everything is meant to be, and destiny was a false lie made up by some person who just wanted something to believe in. Misty, I know you're probably still into the whole prince-charming saves the beautiful princess thing. But I'm not that kid anymore Misty. I've grown up, and maybe you should too. Cause I just know this wasn't supposed to happen. Life is cheap; people say it all the time that you should just enjoy what time you have in life. But think about, is it really true? Is life really meant to be enjoyed? Pikachu is my best friend in the world Misty, and look what happened to him. Do you think that it's fair? The day that Pikachu wasn't at my side, was the day that boy, died, Misty. He died a long time ago, and he's not the guy standing before you now."_

Ash was sitting up in his room. He was back home in Pallet Town, the place that was called home, sweet, home.  It's been five years since that incident happened, and Ash still remembered every little thing. He remembered standing in front of a little burial, where his best friend would lie. Forever. He remembered the nightmares he'd have when he thought that his best friend was still alive, and by his side. But then waking up, knowing that there was only an empty space when the little guy used to lie. Snuggled up close to him. He remembered how he stayed at the very spot in front of the ground, just starring at the stone that was before. Carved onto it were the very important seven words that he would never forget. 'Loved one and best friend to all.' He had starred at that stone for five days straight, without leaving it even once. His mother and friends tried to get him to go home, to eat something at least. But he didn't listen, so eventually, they had left him alone. His best friend had past away somewhere in Goldenrod, he didn't remember where. Or maybe it was just because he didn't want to. But they had brought the little guy all the way back to Pallet Town to give him the burial and funeral. It seemed like the perfect place to do it. It was in the same town they had first met, and it'd be the last place they'd be together. Just side by side. After those sorrowful five days, Ash had left the stone. And when he left, he had also left a part of himself there. The part of himself that was for Pikachu and it was his heart.

When he got home, he went into his room and wouldn't come out. He quit trying to become a pokemon master; there was no point without his best friend at his side. He remembered how they had promised each other that they'd make it, get to their goal together. Because it was fate, it was destiny. Together, forever. But that dream had died. Soon a month had gone by and soon a year did too. The pain never lessened in his heart like it was supposed to. He was only 15 years old, you could never try to make a boy of that age understand the meaning of death. Especially if it was his best friend. A few weeks later, it was his birthday again. Everyone came to celebrate it, thinking it would cheer him up. But it didn't, it just brought tears, remembering how he had celebrated with Pikachu. He'd look at a present sometimes, and just think Pikachu would pop out of it and make everything better again. But it was just a silly dream, hope perhaps. Nothing more. His best friend was gone; perhaps he should've just accepted that fate. No, there was no such thing as destiny or fate. No, only cruelty and false hope. He'd stop hoping then.  

A few days after that, Misty had came over to his house. She tried to cheer him up. But after a while, she stopped. Then she said in the sincerest voice to him, but he couldn't tell. She told him that she loved him, and he had said was that he didn't believe in fairy tales and all that. It was true, by that time he wouldn't have cared if it had hurt him to see the tears in her eyes or not. He just said it, in the coldest and cruelest voice to her. She didn't even deserve to be treated that way.

He saw her eyes fill with tears, and her hopes crushed just like his own. But she didn't show him any tears, instead she walked out of the room and left. It's been four years after that incident. And she still hadn't come back yet. It took Ash four years to finally realize that sure, he'd always love Pikachu, but Misty was also a big part of his life. He would eventually get over Pikachu's death, maybe not completely. He knew he'd still have a scar in his heart. But being around Misty helped him, and he had let it all slip away from him, just like that. He was foolish, and he knew it now. And he knew there was only one way to get her back. He'd search for her. No matter how long it took. But would she still feel the same? He had hurt her. Brock had told him that once. But Ash didn't listen. He just nodded his head absentmindedly. Brock didn't want to put a burden on Ash's shoulder, so he just gently told Ash that he might regret it one day. He knew loosing Pikachu had a big effect on Ash, and he just couldn't bring himself to make it worse for his friend. He was young; he wouldn't have known anything at the time anyways.

And now, Ash knew Brock was right. He did regret it. He might not have realized it before, but he regretted it since she had walked out that door. 

About a month later, Ash found out that Misty now lived with her sisters in Cerulean City. He quickly checked himself over twice and tried to mange a smile, though he couldn't do it. He still tried. He took out his best pair of jeans and black T-shirt, and the one thing that never once left his side. The picture of Misty in his right pocket and the little thunder shaped necklace Pikachu had given him for his birthday.

Slowly, he made his way downstairs. "Mom, I'm leaving for Cerulean City. I hope that's alright," said Ash weakly.

"Sure honey, just be careful alright?" asked Ash's mom carefully. She knew Ash was still in his depression state of loosing Pikachu. It had been five years, and that was a long time.  And it was the first time Ash had made one step downstairs.

"I will," Ash managed a weak smile before he grabbed his jacket and left for Cerulean City. All his pokemon were under the care of Professor Oak, since he couldn't take care of them for the time being. And he hadn't seen them in a long time. They all missed Pikachu almost as much as he did, but that thought never did cross his mind till now. He could've shared with them, but he kept it all into himself. They probably missed him as well too. He would've visited then, but he had more important things to do first. After he went to Misty, he'd go back to the stone where he'd give his last goodbye. It would be the last time he'd ever think of that stone again. If things went as planned.

As he reached the door of a house, he began to have second thoughts. But he couldn't turn away now; he had been so close to loosing everything in his life already. He just wasn't prepared to loose another. Bringing out all the courage he had left inside himself, he knocked on the door.

Slowly, he heard light footsteps nearing the door. And he knew immediately that it was Misty. Only she could move like that. Only her footsteps would sound so warm. As odd as it may seem, since it was just her walking. But to him, it might have meant everything just to hear something of hers again.

The doorknob turned and soon the door opened, and there stood the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He had never noticed it before, but Misty was really quite beautiful. Her hair was gently flowing down her back and she was wearing a simple plain white T-shirt that clung to her body and curves. She was also wearing light blue shorts.

"A-ash?" she asked in a voice barely above a whisper. But Ash could hear her.

"Yeah… It's me Misty," said Ash as he turned away slightly. "Could I talk to you for a moment?" asked Ash.

Misty looked at him uncomfortably, but nodded her head as she closed the door behind her gently and walked outside with Ash. They walked for bit before Misty finally spoke up first.

"Ash, why'd you come here? What did you want to say to me?" asked Misty in a sorrowful voice. As if she didn't want to remember him. And that really hurt Ash, though he tried not to show it. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat before he spoke up.

"Misty… I was wrong, and I'm sorry. Pikachu meant everything to me. When he… passed on, I didn't know what to do. Life was a blur to me, but that didn't give me the right to brush you off like the way I did. I'm so sorry Misty. I just don't know what else to say to you," said Ash as calmly as he could. Though tears were forming in his eyes. He wouldn't look at Misty, yet anyways. If he did, he wouldn't have been able to continue the way he did. "You remember what you said to be that day, don't you? Well, I never really understood that feeling I guess. Or maybe I was just too self absorbed to realize it. But I feel the same way about you. Even if I might not have been able to express it. But could you have blamed me, I couldn't and wouldn't have expressed it at the time. Pikachu was just so close but so far you know what I mean. I could just pass away and meet him someday, somewhere. But then I'd be leaving everything else behind. I thought about it sometimes, when I was in deep thought about Pikachu and I. I always wondered what it was that I lived for. What was it that I just didn't want to leave the earth just yet, for. I always thought it was my family and pokemon and friends. And it's true… I… I really would have. But then… I realized… even if it took my four years to figure it out… the only thing that kept me to this planet was you… Misty," said Ash getting softer and softer. But not soft enough so that Misty couldn't hear him. At this point, the tears that Ash had held in for so long, for her, finally spilled out. He wasn't crying like a baby, it was just tears glistening off his face.  He didn't make any noises as it did though, and he tried not to let Misty see. 

Misty didn't know what to say. It was something she had always wanted to hear from Ash. It was her dream, like fairy tale. But Ash had destroyed that, a long time ago. She wasn't sure if she would be able to survive it, if it happened again. It'd just be too painful. She had left Ash with a broken heart and slowly, it recovered. Not completely, but she did try to forget everything about that day, about him. And now, he comes back, just to reopen that scar. She wasn't sure if she wanted it. She wasn't sure if she could withstand that pain. Slowly, she choked back her tears and, managed a small smile.

"Ash, it's always nice to know someone likes you. I'm just not sure if I want to live through it again. The pain, Ash, I'm just not sure anymore," said Misty softly as she turned around and started walking back toward her house. Ash followed, though not knowing why. When they reached her doorsteps once more, Ash did the only thing he could. He turned around, but before he left her completely, he said the most important words that he had rehearsed in his mind so many times ago, to her.

"Misty, I'm sorry. You know that already, I couldn't ask for your forgiveness, because I never deserved it in the first place. But if you give me the chance to start over, I promise you, that dreams can come true..." and with those final words spoken, Ash left. 

Misty slowly walked back into the house and closed the door once again behind her.

Soon it started to rain, but Ash didn't notice it very much as he headed back to Pallet Town. The weather seemed to fit his mood perfectly anyways. Tears were still running down his face, but he was hoping that the rain would make it seem as if he wasn't. 

It was about five hours later before he finally got back to Pallet Town, and it was getting really dark. The stars were already peeking out from the velvet sky, but the rain hadn't stopped. Ash made his way to the burial that he hadn't been to for five years and kneeled down in front of it.

"Pikachu, I'm finally back here, after five years. I had thought this through a lot, five years is a long time after all, right? Things didn't go as planned, and so I'll now go with the decision I had made a long time ago. You should know what it is…" whispered Ash with his eyes closed as a few more drops of tears fell from his eyes, no matter how hard her tried to prevent it.

"ASH!" 

"Look at me Pikachu, now I'm hearing things…" whispered Ash dryly, in an attempt at humoring himself.

"Ash!"

Ash was almost certain he could hear her footsteps running toward him. But it could be because he was hoping, and he had already learned that hoping was just too much. He'd have to stay sensible this time. Hope just wasn't something for humans to reach out for. It'd only bring a person down.

"Ash!"

This time the voice was much closer than before, and Ash just couldn't stand it anymore. He had to turn around and look. Even if he was hearing things, he just couldn't help but to hope for at least one moment before he left.

And to his surprise, it was Misty. She ran up to him through the rain, and out of breath. 

"Ash…" she whispered softly. She was still trying to catch her breath.

Ash couldn't look at her at the moment. It just pained him too much. Was she trying to say good bye?

"Ash, do you believe in Destiny?"

Ash didn't even think twice before answering, and this time he didn't doubt himself as he answered.

"Only when you're around," answered Ash as he managed a small smile.

Misty stared at him wholeheartedly before nodding her head and smiling back at him. She felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders and she was finally set free. But she was still afraid to get her hopes up. That five years old memory still bared a scar and it was one she wasn't going to forget. 

After a while, Misty realized that Ash had stood up, and they were in front of Pikachu's grave. He hasn't forgotten the pain, it must still hurt him a lot… thought Misty sadly as she closed her eyes and turned to face Pikachu's grave to pay her respects. Pikachu had meant a lot to her too, might not be as much as to Ash. But it still hurt knowing that Pikachu wasn't there anymore.

Suddenly she felt a light touch on her chin, bringing her to turn around and face up. Lightly she felt her lips pressed softly against his. And she knew it was Ash. There couldn't be anyone else in the world that would make her feel the way she did at the moment.

Slowly he parted away from and stared straight into the cerulean blue eyes that he loved so much. And it seemed to sparkle, just for him. And only him. 

"I… I… Mist… I… love you," whispered Ash. Still in the trance from the gaze of her eyes locked with his own.

"I love you too, Ash," smiled Misty as she came closer to him and hugged him closely. Her arms were around his neck and her forehead to his throat. Her eyes were closed. And is soft breathing on her head as he gently wrapped his arms around her protectively and closed his eyes. Both just staying there, in their one moment of bliss. 

The moment seemed so perfect too. They were together after four years of separation and Pikachu was by their side the whole time…

The End

I hope everyone enjoyed that! And I might just do an epilogue or sequel or something if I get enough reviews. So please R+R everyone! Cause I'd really like to know what you think of my story! Thanks! ^-^ Oh, and I'm really sorry about the ending part, I know it's really fluffy. Bye!

Fallen pheniox 


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